Kukec: Local executive sees Dubai as country of contrasts

Pagan minister Pamela Magnuson and her business as a wedding officiant is looking forward to Dec. 12, 2012. The 12-12-12 date likely will be popular for weddings, civil unions and other types of ceremonies at her Mount Prospect home.

"On 11-11-11, I performed three weddings that day and it started it all for me," she said.

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Magnuson was ordained in the Universal Life Church in June 2011 and said she is licensed to marry or perform civil unions in Illinois and Wisconsin. She has performed about 150 ceremonies so far this year, either at her home or at the site of the couple's choosing, she said.

And she doesn't discriminate about their religion, race or sex, and offers to join anyone with a ceremony designed just for them, she said. So she's gearing up for 12-12-12.

"It's only going to happen once," she said. "People want unique dates for their special day and I expect to completely book up the date."

Magnuson started uniting couples after she was laid off from an advertising agency. She also worked for a wedding venue, but felt she wanted to offer couples an alternative site, she said.

"I thought there was a need in this economy in my local area. Couples needed an inexpensive way to get married and still be romantic and personal. It's even harder to find a reasonable place to get married when they only have a few guests or want to elope," she said.

Magnuson believes we are all "children of the same universe and all religions or belief systems bring us ultimately to the same creator."

"Even if someone doesn't have a religion I believe we are all related and I can give them a ceremony that incorporates different wedding traditions that make it meaningful," she said.

Traveling through Dubai

Alan Leis, senior vice president at Hazard Young Attea & Associates in Rosemont, and a former District 203 superintendent in Naperville, said this on Facebook during his visit last week to Dubai: "Despite a wonderful and enlightening conference with many well-known educators, Dubai is a city of contrasts. The architecture is a combination of Star Wars and Vegas. Shields on patio so those walking past can't see us drinking Belgian beer (a Muslim country after all), and the largest shopping mall in the world with dozens of women in abayas (with only eye slits) carrying shopping bags from American stores filled with 'loot.'"

Honored at Rutgers

Greg Brown, chairman and CEO of Schaumburg-based Motorola Solutions Inc. and a Rutgers alumnus, was inducted to the Rutgers board of governors in New Brunswick, N.J. He succeeds John Russo as a public member of the board of governors appointed by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. He also serves on the Rutgers board of trustees and the Rutgers University Foundation's board of overseers.

Mason nominated at Rawlings

Amy Mason,Kane County Cougars director of ticket services and community relations, has been nominated for the Rawlings Woman Executive of the Year award. Mason is the Midwest League's representative in that category, and was nominated by her peers from other front office staffs throughout the Midwest League.

FastTrack

Andrew Gluck, the founder of Ox & Pen, was born and raised in Evanston and now lives in Glencoe. Ox&Pen is based in Chicago and the loyalty network includes merchants in Chicago, Evanston and Libertyville. His company plans in the near future to continue expanding into the suburbs. ... Suzanne Burke Vogt is the new sales manager at the Oak Brook-based DuPage Convention and Visitors Bureau and will oversee the association market that includes the Springfield area.

Terry Foster, a financial adviser in the Elgin office of Wells Fargo Advisors, has achieved the designation of premier adviser with the firm. ... Real estate broker Sue Hutchings, a Lake Zurich resident, is now with Renee Clark Real Estate Group Baird & Warner in Barrington. ... Tom Geary is the new senior sales executive of strategic accounts at Delta Dental of Illinois in Naperville. ... Schaumburg resident Violet Lee and Batavia resident Michelle Tippets have become independent consultants with Tastefully Simple Inc., a national direct sales company featuring more than 60 easy-to-prepare foods.

Libertyville resident Nicholas Herrmann has joined Rabjohns Financial Group as a financial representative. ... Terry Dowty is the new specialty lines practice leader at Insurance Program Managers Group in St. Charles.

Young Kang is the new senior director of product development at Wilmette-based Imbibe. The WhiteWave Foods and Coca-Cola veteran has 25 years in the flavor and beverage industry. ... Naperville resident Joe Weidenbach has been appointed Chicago market leader for The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank in Chicago. ... Randall Burggraf, an optometrist for 36 years, joins Third Street Eye Care.

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